•Visa 


% 


v\mhki  ^ 

/ (p 

i M 

BULLETIN 

First  District  Normal  School 


Kirksville,  Missouri 


L.  XIV. 


DECEMBER,  1914 


No.  3 


Publisht  by  the  First  District  Normal  School.  Issued  Quarterly,  June 
September,  December,  March. 


Entered  June  25,  1902,  at  Kirksville,  Mo.,  as  second-class  matter  under  Act  of  Congress,  of  July,  1894. 


(Spring  term,  March  2 to  May  18,  1914.  Summer  term,  May  26  to  Aug.  6,  1914.) 


Q 

1 


A BRIEF  STUDY 

OF 

A Twentieth  Century 
Normal  School 

SPECIAL  ATTENTION 

IS  CALLED 


TO 


TABULATIONS  on  PAGES  4,  5 and  6 


A BRIEF  STUDY 

OF 

A Twentieth  Century  Normal  School 

(Comprising  extracts  from  a report  to  the  State  Superintendent 
of  Public  Schools  for  the  year  ending  Aug.  31,  1914.) 

By  President  John  R.  Kirk 

An  Issue  Raised  and  Met.  A little  while  back,  fifteen  years  ago,  1899,  much 
fault  was  found  with  our  Normal  Schools  by  men  in  college  and  university  circles  because 
of  alleged  low  standards  of  scholarship.  I was  Examiner  of  Schools  for  the  University 
of  Missouri.  When  suddenly  notified  of  my  election  to  the  presidency  of  this  institu- 
tion, I made  haste  to  visit  the  President  of  the  University  for  his  advice,  tho  I well 
knew  his  views.  He  promptly  urged  me  to  resign,  go  to  Kirksville,  and  “put  scholar- 
ship into  that  Normal  School”.  I consulted  other  university  and  college  men.  There 
was  no  dissenting  opinion.  They  all  wanted  better  scholarship  in  the  Normal  School. 
Supported  by  progressiv  Regents  and  a vigorous  faculty,  I have  done  my  best  to  meet 
the  issue,  and  I believe  there  is  no  college  man  or  university  man  now  urging  more 
scholarship  in  this  Normal  School.  Meanwhile,  the  institution  has  made  even  greater 
advancement  in  professional  ideals  and  practices  than  it  has  in  scholarship  standards. 

An  American  Idea.  The  Twentieth  Century  Normal  School  prepares  men  and 
women  to  enter  the  teaching  profession  on  a par  with  graduates  of  the  law  school  and 
medical  college,  without  the  necessity  of  being  recast  or  relabeld  by  any  other  institu- 
tion. It  is  not  patternd  after  any  European  Normal  School.  It  is  an  American  idea; 
not  a borrowd  one.  It  is  not  a static  mechanism.  It  is  an  adaptable,  dynamic  agency 
very  close  to  the  people  whose  necessities  have  brought  it  into  being. 

It  is  a public  utility  and  therefore  retains  plasticity  to  meet  substantial  changes 
in  public  needs.  Its  undeviating  policy  is  to  function  in  growing  public  service.  Its 
program  is  like  the  railway  ticket,  “for  this  day  only.  ” 

The  Normal  School  at  Kirksville  runs  under  high  pressure.  Members  of  the 
faculty  visit  institutions  and  participate  in  conventions  of  many  states.  They  even 
keep  tab  on  the  fads  and  sensations  of  educational  exploiters.  They  try  to  discriminate 
between  good  and  evil.  They  are  undoutedly  aware  of  the  best  educational  conceptions 
known  in  our  country.  And  best  of  all,  they  exercise  great  freedom  of  initiativ  based 
upon  their  own  constructiv  thinking. 

Many  visiting  experts  from  our  own  country  and  a few  from  Canada  and  Great 
Britain  have  lately  looked  in  upon  the  school  and  given  us  the  benefit  of  their  judg- 
ment and  their  criticism.  Some  of  these  visitors  have  made  definit  comment  on  our 
ability  to  bring  ideals  and  practices  into  unusually  close  relationship,  a fact  in 
which  we  take  great  pride. 

In  Touch  with  Realities.  The  President  and  faculty  of  this  Normal  School  are 
very  close  to  the  concrete  problem  of  preparing  teachers  for  the  schools  of  our  state. 
We  have  the  “follow  up”  idea  pretty  well  workt  out.  We  follow  our  students  and 
graduates  into  the  schools  where  they  teach.  We  discover  their  weakness  and  their 
strength.  We  are  living  our  lives  in  close  and  vital  relation  with  real  people  and  actual 
conditions.  We  share  activly  in  School  Clubs,  Parent-Teachers’  Associations,  Boy 
Scout  movements,  Girls’  Camp  Fires,  and  conventions  of  school  boards,  teachers  and 
people  at  large. 

Adjustable  Instrumentalities.  This  Normal  School  seeks  to  offer  the  best 
known  instrumentalities  for  making  studies  intelligible  and  for  developing  skill. 


3 


These  instrumentalities  include  the  library,  the  farm,  the  shop,  the  laboratory, 
the  museum,  the  stereopticon,  and  photography,  motion  picture  making,  dramatization, 
organized  play,  and  numerous  co-operativ  activities  among  faculty,  students,  and 
practice  school  children. 

Six  Groups.  There  were  in  1913-14  the  following  principal  groups  of  students 
which  I believe  to  be  worth  deliberate  study: 

1.  The  120-hour  graduates,  numbjring 22 

2.  The  90-hour  graduates,  numbering 51 

3.  The  60-hour  graduates,  numbering 22 

4.  The  30-hour  graduates  (“elementary  certificate”  class),  numbering . . 199 

5.  The  rural  state  certificate  group,  numbering 37 

6.  The  non-graduating  group,  numbering  nearly 1400 


STATISTICS  OF  120-HOUR  DIPLOMAS  ISSUED  IN  1913-14. 


No. 

Init- 

ials 

Sex 

Age 

in 

Yrs. 

No. 

Mos. 

in 

High 

Sch. 

Stud- 

ies 

No. 
Mos. 
in  all 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
Grade 

No. 

Mos. 

Tchg 

in 

Pub. 

Sch. 

High 
Sch. 
Cred- 
its in 
units 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Aca- 
demic 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
[Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Semi- 
Peda- 
gogic 
Studies 
of  Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Ped- 
agogic 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  all 
Studies 
of  Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Present 

Occupation 

T 

EVA 

F 

21 

36 

42  1 

0 

16.00 

82.00 

18.75 

33.00 

133.75 

High  School  Teacher 

2 

SGB 

F 

24 

42 

42 

0 

16.00 

80.00 

15.00 

27.50 

122.50 

Librarian 

3 

AGC 

M 

26 

36 

33 

81 

15.00 

77.00 

0.00 

46.50 

123 . 50 

City  Superintendent 

4 

BMC 

F 

26 

34 

36 

50 

15,50 

95.00 

6.25 

30.00 

131.25 

High  School  Teacher 

5 

JAC 

M 

24 

31 

32 

0 

15.00 

86.25 

5.00 

30.00 

121.25 

High  School  Teacher 

6 

IVF 

F 

20 

36 

36 

0 

15.00 

88.75 

6.25 

30.00 

125.00 

High  School  Teacher 

7 

VF 

F 

22 

36 

36 

32 

15.25 

90.00 

0.00 

30.00 

120.00 

Normal  School  Teacher 

8 

JAG 

M 

44 

36 

37 

120 

16.00 

75.00 

0.00 

48.75 

123.75 

City  Superintendent 

9 

LEH 

F 

23 

36 

36 

18 

15.00 

77.50 

11.25 

37.50 

126.25 

Continuing  Student 

10 

ELK 

F 

34 

39 

42 

30 

16.00 

93.75 

7.50 

28.75 

130.00 

Norma!  School  Dean 

11 

MEK 

F 

23 

39 

42 

12 

15.50 

61.25 

30.00 

32.50 

123.75 

Normal  School  Teacher 

12 

EK 

F 

26 

36 

38 

51 

18.00 

84.50 

13.75 

30.00 

128.25 

High  School  Teacher 

13 

EM 

F 

28 

33 

36 

99 

16.50 

98.00 

5.00 

38.00 

141.00 

High  School  Teacher 

14 

GEM 

M 

32 

39 

36 

72 

16.33 

71.50 

19.75 

32.25 

123.50 

Teacher  Training  Tr. 

15 

EM 

F 

33 

36 

36 

104 

17.00 

81.25 

11.25 

30.00 

122.50 

High  School  Teacher 

16 

JRM 

M 

30 

36 

36 

54 

16.33 

91.25 

0.00 

33.75 

125.00 

Normal  School  Teacher 

17 

JER 

M 

31 

36 

41 

63 

15.00 

116.00 

0.00 

30.00 

146.00 

Normal  School  Teacher 

18 

LBS 

M 

34 

36 

36 

72 

15.33 

I 66.75 

18.25 

35.00 

120.00 

Normal  School  Teacher 

19 

CHW 

M 

26 

36 

51 

12 

19.00 

127.50 

12.50 

36.00 

176.00 

High  School  Teacher 

20 

EOW 

M 

30 

36 

57 

27 

16.50 

100.00 

22.50 

35.00 

157.50 

City  Superintendent 

21 

MMW 

F 

26 

45 

37 

9 

15.00 

87.50 

0.00 

35.00 

122.50 

High  School  Teacher 

22 

PFY 

F 

29 

36 

33 

36 

15.00 

87.50 

| 8.75 

30.00 

126.25 

High  School  Teacher 

Averages 

28 

36.63 

38.68 

42.82 

15 . 92 

1 87.19 

9.63 

33.61 

130.43 

Note:  Semi-Pedagogic  Subjects — forms  of  Fine  Arts,  Manual  Arts,  Music  Studies,  Physical  Edu- 
cation, etc.,  necessities  in  the  make-up  of  well  prepared  teachers  and  until  recently  not  favord  for  credit 
by  typical  higher  education  institutions. 


Best  Product.  The  best  product  in  the  gradual  differentiation  of  teaching 
talent  is  the  group  of  seventy  or  eighty  individuals  annually  striving  for  the 
120-hour  diploma  and  a bachelor’s  degree  in  Education.  Many  of  them  can  attend 
summer  terms  only.  They  are  from  twenty  to  forty-five  years  of  age.  As  a rule,  they 
are  actual  teachers.  Nearly  all  of  them  hold  diplomas  from  schools  or  colleges  of  some 
kind.  They  are  studying  and  struggling  for  a diploma  which  will  guarantee  not  only 
entrance  into  their  profession  but  permanent  recognition  in  that  profession. 

These  are  the  crown  jewels  in  the  twentieth  century  Normal  School;  and  the  Nor- 
mal School  offers  them  the  means  of  securing  both  professional  efficiency  and  permanent 
professional  recognition.  These  are  the  people  predominant  in  giving  the  institution  its 
invigorating  atmosphere  and  its  characteristic  school  spirit  in  which  the  younger  stu- 
dents and  lower  class  students  attain  the  conscious  ideal  that  they  may  become  integral 
and  enduring  factors  in  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  serviceable  of  all  the  professions 


4 


STATISTICS  OF  90-HOUR  DIPLOMAS  ISSUED  IN  1913-14. 


No. 

Ini- 

tials 

Sex 

Age 

in 

Yrs. 

No. 

Mos. 

in 

High 

Sch. 

Stud- 

ies 

No. 
Mos. 
in  all 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
Grade 

No. 

Mos. 

Tchg 

in 

Pub. 

Sch. 

High 
Sch. 
Cred- 
its in 
units 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Aca- 
demic 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Semi- 
Peda- 
gogic 
Studies 
of  Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  Ped- 
agogic 
Stud- 
ies of 
Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Semes- 

ter 

Hours 
in  all 
Studies 
of  Col- 
lege 
Grade 

Present 

Occupation 

1 

KEA 

F 

31 

36 

26 

65 

16.50 

47.50 

| 11.25 

35.00 

93.75 

Teacher  Training  Tr. 

2 

MFB 

xM 

30 

36 

24 

48 

16.50 

47.50 

l 12.50 

30.00 

90.00 

Town  Superintendent 

3 

SMB 

M 

22 

33 

24 

0 

15.00 

52.50 

! 7.50 

30.00 

90.00 

High  School  Teacher 

4 

FB 

M 

21 

33 

24 

0 

15.00 

57.50 

1 6.25 

27.50 

91.25 

High  School  Teacher 

5 

WHB 

M 

26 

36 

25 

21 

15.00 

57.50 

3.75 

30.00 

91.25 

Town  Superintendent 

6 

LGC 

F 

26 

45 

30 

25 

18.00 

60.00 

5.00 

32.50 

97.50 

High  School  Teacher 

7 

LDC 

F 

20 

36 

27 

0 

15.00 

65.00 

10.00 

25.00 

100.00 

Fourth  Year  Student 

8 

NC 

F 

32 

32 

24 

31 

15.00 

52.50 

5.00 

32.50 

90.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

9 

FD 

F 

22 

36 

30 

9 

16.00 

50.75 

10.00 

30.00 

90.75 

Rural  Teacher 

10 

GD 

F 

22 

39 

27 

5 

15.00 

56.25 

3.75 

30.00 

90.00 

High  School  Teacher 

11 

ED 

F 

26 

42 

31 

14 

15.00 

55.00 

7.50 

30.00 

92.50 

Elementary  Teacher 

12 

GSE 

F 

21 

39 

30 

9 

16.00 

55 . 00 

7.50 

27.50 

90. 00  [ 

Town  Principal 

13 

SBE 

M 

40 

36 

27 

135 

15.00 

62.50 

8.75 

30.00 

101.25 

City  Superintendent 

14 

LE 

F 

24 

36 

27 

25 

17.00 

52.50 

8.75 

30.00 

91.25 

Home  Maker 

15 

MLE 

F 

22 

36 

27 

15 

16.00 

47.50 

12.50 

30.00 

90.00 

High  School  Teacher 

16 

MAF 

F 

20 

36 

27 

8 

15.00 

47.50 

i 15.00 

30.00 

92.50 

High  School  Teacher 

17 

MFG 

F 

21 

36 

27 

9 

15.00 

47.50 

! 17.50 

27.50 

92.50 

Fourth  Year  Student 

18 

FG 

F 

24 

33 

24 

36 

15.67 

52.50 

8.75 

30.00 

91.25 

High  School  Teacher 

19 

LG 

F 

25 

36 

30 

0 

16.00 

47.50 

12.50 

30.00 

90.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

20 

LMG 

F 

34 

36 

36 

54 

16 . 67 

57.50 

11.25 

32.50 

101.25 

High  School  Teacher 

21 

CMG 

F 

21 

36 

36 

0 

17.00 

98.50 

0.00 

30.00 

128.50 

At  Home 

22 

GRG 

F 

29 

43 

27 

57 

16.00 

65.00 

6.25 

32.50 

101.25 

High  School  Teacher 

23 

LEH 

F 

23 

36 

30 

18 

14.00 

71.25 

2.50 

35 . 00 

108.75 

Continuing  Student 

24 

BHJ 

M 

26 

36 

32 

27 

18.00 

56.75 

5.00 

30.00 

91.25 

Town  Superintendent 

25 

JRK 

M 

26 

31 

24 

24 

15.00 

53.75 

6.25 

30.00 

90.00 

Student  U.  of  Mo. 

26 

ELK 

F 

34 

39 

36 

30 

16.00 

80.00 

3.75 

28.75 

112.50 

Normal  School  Dean 

27 

ALM 

F 

26 

33 

24 

33 

15.00 

57.50 

2.50 

30.00 

90.00 

At  Home 

28 

MFM 

F 

27 

31 

24 

45 

15 . 00 

57.50 

2.50 

30.00 

92.50 

High  School  Teacher 

29 

FLM 

F 

22 

36 

27 

30 

17.00 

47.75 

12  50 

30.00 

90.25 

Home  Maker 

30 

TGN 

M 

26 

36 

24 

40 

15.00 

| 62.50 

2.50 

30.00 

95.00 

Town  Superintendent 

31 

WO 

F 

19 

33 

24 

0 

15.00 

60.00 

2.50 

30.00 

92.50 

At  Home 

32 

HMP 

M 

22 

35 

27 

14 

15.00 

50.00 

10.00 

30.00 

90.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

33 

LEP 

F 

23 

36 

28 

23 

15.50 

47.50 

13.75 

32.50 

93.75 

High  School  Teacher 

34 

AGR 

M 

22 

34 

27 

12 

15.00 

50 . 00 

15.00 

30 . 00 

95.00 

City  Superintendent 

35 

JBR 

M 

23 

36 

25.5 

15 

18.00 

48.75 

8.75 

32.50 

90.00 

Town  Superintendent 

36 

EMR 

F 

33 

36 

24 

55 

15.00 

52.50 

7.50 

30.00 

90.00 

High  School  Teacher 

37 

RAS 

M 

23 

39 

27 

0 

17.00 

52.50 

! 10.00 

30.00 

92.50 

Town  Principal 

38 

BJS 

F 

22 

36 

27 

0 

18.00 

50.00 

12.50 

30.00 

92.50 

Elementary  Teacher 

39 

RES 

F 

21 

36 

27 

0 

16.00 

65.00 

2.50 

30.00 

97.50 

Rural  Teacher 

40 

BS 

F 

27 

36 

30 

49 

22.50 

60.00 

6.25 

30.00 

96.25 

High  School  Teacher 

41 

DT 

F 

30 

40 

30 

54 

15.00 

60.00 

7.50 

32.50 

100.00 

Supervisor  of  Music 

42 

OT 

F 

20 

36 

30 

0 

16.00 

57.50 

7.50 

35 . 00 

100.00 

High  School  Teacher 

43 

EMT 

M 

27 

33 

24 

40 

15.00 

58.75 

0.00 

31.25 

90.00 

City  Superintendent 

44 

CHW 

M 

25 

36 

51 

0 

19.50 

139.25 

2.50 

38.50 

180.25 

High  School  Teacher 

45 

EOW 

M 

30 

36 

57 

27 

16.50 

100.00 

13.75 

35.00 

148.75 

City  Superintendent 

46 

NEW 

M 

24 

30 

24 

11 

15.00 

57 . 50 

2.50 

30.00 

90.00 

Farming 

47 

LW 

F 

25 

36 

30 

27 

18.00 

67 . 50 

7.50 

35.00 

110.00 

Supervisor  of  Music 

48 

LGW 

F 

22 

33 

27 

8 

16.00 

57.50 

7.50 

32.50 

97.50 

Fourth  Year  Student 

49 

OBW 

F 

25 

42 

28.5 

24 

17.00 

50.00 

8.75 

35.00 

93.75 

High  School  Teacher 

50 

CJW 

F 

23 

36 

27 

6 

15.00 

37.50 

25.00 

30.00 

92.50 

High  School  Teacher 

51 

MSY 

F 

23 

36 

27 

0 

15.00 

57.50 

3.75 

30.00 

91.25 

High  School  Teacher 

Averages 

25 

36 

28.5 

23 

16.03 

58.85 

7.92 

30.90 

97.67 

The  90-hour  Glass.  The  foregoing  tabulation  of  the  90-hour  class  is  illustrativ 
of  what  ambitious,  would-be  teachers  will  become  for  practical  purposes  when 
given  opportunity  and  unhamperd  by  conventional  restrictions.  But  nearly 
every  one  of  these  people  has  it  in  mind  to  teach  for  a period  and  then  return  to  push 
forward  and  secure  the  120-hour  diploma.  Many  of  them  have  definit  plans  to  attain 


5 


this  high  purpose  by  teaching  nine  months  in  the  year  and  attending  the  Normal  School 
for  three  summer  terms.  A few  of  them  will  go  to  the  University  for  their  bachelor’s 
degree.  Many  of  them  are  married  men  and  women.  The  major  part  of  them  will 
become  effecfiv  propagandists  and  constructiv  community  leaders. 


STATISTICS  OF  60-HOUR  DIPLOMAS  ISSUED  IN  1913-14. 


No. 

Ini- 

Sex 

Age 

No. 

No. 

No. 

High 

Semes- 

Semes- 

Semes- 

Semes- 

Present 

tials 

in 

Mos. 

Mos. 

Mos. 

Sch. 

ter 

ter 

ter 

ter 

Occupation 

Yrs. 

in 

in  all 

Tchg 

Cred- 

Hours 

Hours 

Hours 

Hours 

High 

Stud- 

in 

its  in 

in  Aca- 

in Semi- 

in  Ped- 

in all 

Sch. 

ies  of 

Pub. 

units 

demic 

Peda- 

agogic 

Studies 

Stud- 

Col- 

Sch. 

Stud- 

gogic 

Stud- 

of Col- 

ies 

lege 

ies  of 

Studies 

ies  of 

lege 

Grade 

Col- 

of Col- 

Col- 

Grade 

lege 

lege 

lege 

Grade 

Grade 

Grade 

1 

FEB 

F 

36 

36 

21 

45 

15.00 

45 . 00 

11.25 

22.50 

78.75 

High  School  Teacher 

2 

AB 

F 

26 

33 

18 

29 

15 . 00 

42.50 

2.50 

22.50 

67.50 

High  School  Teacher 

3 

EEB 

F 

24 

36 

24 

20 

15.00 

45.00 

7.50 

22.50 

75.00 

High  School  Teacher 

4 

WGB 

M 

20 

35 

1 18 

0 

14.33 

35.00 

2.50 

25.00 

62.50 

Elementary  Teacher 

5 

GC 

F 

22 

37 

21 

9 

16.00 

30.00 

11.25 

30.00 

71.25 

Elementary  Teacher 

6 

JMD 

M 

22 

39 

24 

0 

16.00 

27.50 

11.25 

25.00 

63.75 

Village  Supt. 

7 

HF 

F 

29 

36 

24 

81 

18.50 

46.75 

6.25 

30.50 

83.50 

Rural  Teacher 

8 

FF 

F 

22 

40 

24 

24 

18.00 

30.00 

6.25 

35.00 

71.25 

Elementary  Teacher 

9 

GH 

F 

25 

32 

16 

54 

15.00 

35.00 

2.50 

27.50 

65.00 

Rural  Teacher 

10 

EML 

F 

26 

36 

15 

69 

15 . 67 

25.00 

8.75 

27.50 

61.25 

Elementary  Teacher 

11 

EM 

F 

21 

33 

21 

5 

15.00 

50.00 

2.50 

30.00 

82.50 

Rural  Teacher 

12 

MEM 

F 

34 

41 

18 

42 

18.00 

27.50 

5.75 

27.50 

60.75 

Elementary  Teacher 

13 

GLR 

F 

24 

38 

24 

22 

17.00 

35.75 

14.25 

30.00 

80.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

14 

MR 

F 

42 

39 

18 

141 

15.00 

27.50 

6.25 

30.00 

63.75 

Village  Supt. 

15 

EAS 

M 

27 

36 

20 

36 

15.00 

45.00 

2.50 

30.00 

77.50 

Village  Supt. 

16 

WDS 

M 

22 

30 

18 

0 

15.00 

45.00 

7.50 

25.00 

77.50 

Training  Sch.  Supvr. 

17 

FAT 

M 

24 

36 

21 

22 

17.00 

32.50 

5.00 

28.75 

66.25 

Village  Supt. 

18 

MV 

F 

32 

36 

24 

94 

19.75 

42.00 

15.50 

25.00 

82.50 

Elementary  Teacher 

19 

CSW 

F 

23 

38 

18 

17 

15.00 

32.50 

2.50 

25.00 

60.00 

Home  Maker 

20 

SMW 

F 

23 

36 

21 

13 

16.00 

27.50 

10.00 

27.50 

65.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

21 

MW 

F 

20 

36 

21 

0 

18.50 

46.25 

8.75 

25 . 00 

80.00 

Elementary  Teacher 

22 

JW 

F 

23 

33 

18 

0 

15.00 

42.50 

5.00 

25.00 

72.50 

Elementary  Teacher 

Averages 

26 

36 

20 

33 

16.12 

37.08 

7.07 

27.12 

71.27 

The  60- hour  Group.  A majority  of  the  Normal  Schools  of  our  country  long  had 
the  60-hour  course  as  their  exclusiv  offering  for  prospectiv  teachers.  In  most  of  them 
the  hope  now  is  to  attain  higher  standards.  The  year  1913-14  witnest  the  beginning 
of  60-hour  courses  for  definit  purposes  in  this  Normal  School.  The  diploma  for  these 
new  courses  includes  a life  certificate  and  the  designation  of  ability  to  teach  in  elemen- 
tary schools.  The  table  shows  the  variety  of  positions  filled  by  the  twenty-two  persons 
receiving  the  new  diploma.  Three  of  the  class  have  positions  as  high  school  teachers. 
But  they  are  quite  mature  persons  with  valuable  teaching  experience  and  a good  deal 
of  extra  study  to  their  credit.  They  also  hold  other  certificates  which  legalize  their 
teaching  in  high  schools.  The  diploma  is  doutless  taken  by  them  as  a guaranty  of 
landmarks  past. 

The  30- hour  Group.  One  hundred  ninety-nine  individuals  receivd  elementary 
certificates  authorizing  them  to  teach  for  two  years  and  guaranteeing  completion  of 
thirty  or  more  semester  hours  preceded  by  the  four  years’  high  school  course.  These 
people  are  most  interesting  in  their  very  varying  capabilities.  I have  enjoyd  a 
study  of  their  characteristics.  They  average  twenty-three  and  one-half  years  of 
age.  One  hundred  sixty-five  of  them  have  taught  in  public  schools.  They  have 
been  mainly  self-supporting  students..  Their  average  teaching  experience  in  public 
schools  is  twenty-one  months.  Some  of  them  have  taught  sixty-five  months.  Their 
average  attainments  in  scholarship  are:  1.  Sixteen  high  school  units  coverd  in  thirty- 
six  months.  2.  Forty-four  semester  hours  in  academic  and  pedagogic  studies  of  college 
grade  coverd  in  fourteen  months. 


What  an  array  of  productiv  talent  is  presented  in  these  one  hundred  ninety-nine 
young  Missouri  student  teachers!  They  will  render  the  state  effectiv  service.  Most 
of  them  will  yet  alternate  many  times  between  student  life  and  teaching.  Three-fourths 
of  them  will  be  in  summer  schools  of  1915.  One-third  of  them  will  be  in  the  Normal 
School  or  the  University  during  the  school  year  1915-16.  Nearly  half  of  them  hold  the 
second  or  third  elementary  certificate.  They  will  teach  on  that  certificate  to  earn  money 
to  push  forward  and  secure  a diploma.  After  that,  most  of  them  will  repeat  the  process 
for  a higher  diploma.  But  I have  studied  those  of  this  group  receiving  their  first 
elementary  certificate.  They  have  an  average  of  nine  semester  hours  in  excess  of  what 
is  required  for  the  certificate. 

These  facts  reveal  the  spirit  of  the  twentieth  century  Normal  School  in  which  the 
students  are  not  hamperd  by  mechanical  standards,  tho  well-defined  measurements  do 
designate  minimum  requirements.  But  the  spirit  of  such  a school  rejects  the  idea  of 
stopping  at  a minimum.  The  only  recognized  individual  limits  are  the  boundaries  of 
what  the  individual  has  the  ability  to  accomplish. 

The  Rural  State  Certificate.  This  is  a temporary  expedient.  The  State  Super- 
indentent  of  Schools  has  favord  its  use  for  a time.  Thirty-seven  candidates  were  rec- 
ommended to  the  State  Superintendent.  They  average  (a)  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
(b)  six  months’  teaching  experience  in  public  schools,  (c)  thirty-one  months  in  school 
attendance  above  the  eighth  grade,  and  (d)  credit  of  thirteen  high  school  units  including 
about  one  and  one-third  units  in  elementary  rural  school  methods,  management,  and 
sociology.  Most  of  them  after  a year  or  two  in  teaching  will  re-enter  the  Normal 
School  to  work  in  the  direction  of  an  elementary  certificate. 

The  Non-graduating  Group.  In  1913-14  there  were  nearly  fourteen  hundred 
students  of  the  institution  who  did  not  secure  or  seek  certificates  or  diplomas.  Many 
of  them  are  high  school  graduates  or  college  graduates.  Many  others  have  certificates 
and  diplomas  from  this  institution  and  have  not  needed  to  graduate  in  any  course  during 
the  year.  In  scholarship  nearly  half  of  them  are  of  the  rank  of  well-advanced  high  school 
students.  They  are  all  people  of  much  promis.  Hundreds  of  them  are  self-supporting. 
Without  some  such  policy  of  plasticity  and  adjustability  as  characterizes  the  twentieth 
century  Normal  School,  many  of  them  would  be  forced  to  fall  by  the  wayside.  Most 
of  them  are  above  the  age  of  high  school  students  of  equal  academic  attainments.  They 
average  about  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Large  numbers  of  them  have  been  actual 
teachers.  Each  year  increasing  numbers  of  them  join  the  regular  classes  and  seek  regular 
promotion  and  graduation.  At  the  present  time,  December,  1914,  six  hundred  of  them 
while  teaching  are  also  taking  correspondence  courses  or  extension  courses  for  which 
they  are  to  receiv  some  credit  in  the  records  of  the  Normal  School. 

The  Major  Interest.  The  characteristic  occupation  in  Northeast  Missouri  is 
farming.  Hence  the  major  interest  of  this  Normal  School  is  the  preparation  of  rural 
and  village  teachers. 

Conclusion.  The  major  interest  controls  distribution  of  effort.  Hence  a more 
detaild  study  of  this  condenst  report  shows  about  four-fifths  of  the  energies  of  this 
Normal  School  to  be  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  teachers  for  the  rural  and 
village  schools. 


